This week, DiS is going to Iceland! No! Not to the frozen food haven for some over-sized breasts_ a la _Kerry Katona (formerly of hit UK girl group Atomic Kitten), but to the frozen LAND haven, quite a lot further north than Scotland, for the quite fantastic Iceland Airwaves Festival that runs in Reykjavik from Wednesday to Sunday. See? We do leave the center of the M25! We’re going on a plane so that things like grass and trees do not confuse us.

We do have a reason for going. In fact, we have two. First of all Colin Roberts, DiS Editor, will be performing podcast internet radio thingummy doo-dahs with fan favourites such as Klaxons and The Cribs. You should be expecting to hear that some time in the future. I can’t predict too much about it, but Colin will almost certainly be drunk and not wearing appropriate footwear. Even better than stuff on the internet is stuff in real life (IRL). That’s why we’ve arranged to take control of a stage and have organised for some bands to play on it.

What? Drowned in Sound @ Airwaves

When? Thursday October 19

Where? NASA

Who?Metric, Love Is All, Reykjavik, Skatar, Æla & Lay Low

Why? SIX bands plus myself, Colin Roberts, Sean Adams and a Fightstar fan in the same building is a dangerous concept. One of the bands is on our label and another comes very, very highly recommended. If you’re not going to be in Iceland for this festival then here are some bands to check out while we’re gone…

1 Mínus
_
Fri Oct 20, midnight, NASA_

Round these parts we try our hardest never to turn our backs on something we’ve once supported. We saw their first ever UK tour and then Mínus played their hardcore noise assault at the first and only DiS gig at London Underworld with Oceansize. Our ears bled. They’re not quite so loud any more, favouring sleazy rock grooves now, but after a few years of inner turmoil and turbulence I’ve been assured that they’re back and they’re frickin’ loving it. This is a must see. Your life is missing something without this band.

Spotted in Reykjavik earlier this year by me this is a wonderful post rock-influenced, folk outfit that will pick you up by the ears and let you float back down during some thunderous beats and smooth, lilting harmonies. Also, there are nine of them.

This is a massive and annoying clash with the native rock heroes Mínus but with ex-Sugarcubes singer/poet Einar Örn teaming up with former Mínus collaborator Curver, this duo is going to put on an awesome show. Promising a groundbreaking mix of words, beats and sounds, I expect it will be like a Saul Williams show. Except with fewer black people.

Apparently they play twisted rock and roll, but they definitely come very highly recommended with rave reviews surrounding their debut album. Elusive to the end, they’re something of an unknown quantity and we like a good surprise around here.

Heavy as fuck. This band was only added to the Download line-up after the Frenchmen blew every single other band off the bill at The Great Escape Festival – their first UK appearance. A quote taken from a seasoned metaller at that gig: “I’ve been watching heavy metal for 20 years and that’s the best band I have ever seen.” If you want to be able to say the second half of that sentence yourself then I suggest you do not miss this band. Again.

They’re very young and keep playing gigs in the UK. This band is rock&roll to the end, as I found out when trying to chat with them earlier this year. It was mid-afternoon but Zolberg, their singer, had clearly just got in from a night out. Charismatic to the end, this is a guaranteed great live band.

This very energetic band is playing the DiS night and are an “antidote to the legions of bands whose members consist of self-aggrandising cock-smokers with zero talent and a penchant for 16-year-old tang”. I love smoking cock though!

There’s only five to start off with and four of them play the organ. What about the guitars?!? Apparently though, it doesn’t sound like Keane because they play genuinely emotive music . I’ve been assured of this. I am sad because I like Keane! No guitars? It’ll never work! That one dude plays drums by the way.

Norwegians! We love them. Satyricon, Grieg, Sereena Maneesh, hot girls. All of it. This is an electronic drone band who should be more fun than being outside when it’s just above freezing point. The spiel says they’re the first Norwegian band to ever sign to an American label but that sounds silly to me.

We are so multi-cultural and not racist that we like Canadians, too. Even if they do talk funny! (Kidding.) Wolf Parade are Canadian and they’re cool because they’re signed to Sub Pop and even cooler because they supported Arcade Fire and everyone loves them. Right? I think they’re pretty balls, apart from that one song.